


robbers and people pleasers

by summersnowz



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst and Feels, Class Differences, Developing Friendships, Endgame Arya Stark/Gendry Waters, F/M, Gendry Waters-centric, Lovers to Strangers to Friends to Lovers, Male-Female Friendship, POV Gendry Waters, Personal Growth, Post-Break Up, Slow Burn, dany and gendry are only friends, this is only gendrya
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-13 05:09:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28897938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/summersnowz/pseuds/summersnowz
Summary: gendry waters lives a simple life. sleep, work, eat, try to forget about the petite brunette who stole his heart, fail, sleep, repeat.everything begins to change when a silver haired woman moves across the hall.
Relationships: Arya Stark/Gendry Waters, Daenerys Targaryen & Gendry Waters
Comments: 100
Kudos: 98





	1. robbers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ tumblr ](https://summersnowz.tumblr.com/)

**Robbers**

_Now if you never shoot, you'll never know_

_And if you never eat, you'll never grow_

_You've got a pretty kinda dirty face_

_And when you're leaving your home_

_He's begging you to stay stay stay stay stay_

_Out of order_

The sign was written in big, red felt marker and blue-tacked to the doors of the lift, dangling within an edge of its thin, paper life. Gendry paid the sign no mind, knowing that it had been there for years now, and that it was quite frankly for the best - nobody should be stepping a foot in that lift anyway.

He made his way up the stairs instead, his bag of shopping in one hand and his helmet in the other. Gendry took the steps two at a time, letting his mind wander as he made the trek upwards.

The walls were bleeding mold, the smell pungent in the air. It didn't affect him much, his nose having gotten used to the constant smell of must and rotten wood. He sidestepped a puddle of vomit, grimacing as he did so.

 _I need new sheets,_ he thought, rounding the corner, making sure not to step on any needles, _pretty sure the tear has gotten bigger._

Gendry reached his floor, walking deeper into the corridor. He kept his head down, avoiding eye contact with his neighbours, who he was sure were running a prostitution ring. There was a faint sound of music playing as he walked past, and the all-too familiar wolf-whistles accompanied it.

He kept walking, five doors down to his apartment. As he placed his shopping on the ground, and made to put his keys in the door, a small cry could be heard. Gendry froze, his key hovering mid-air.

For a moment, he considered slotting the key in and going about his night as usual, ignoring the painfully obvious sobs coming from the person behind him. A small voice sounded in his mind, one with a northern, highborn accent; _don't be an asshole, stupid._ He sighed, putting his key back in his pocket, slowly turning around.

The cries were coming from a small woman, curled in on herself with her back to the door. _Must be why I didn't see her before,_ he thought, eyeing her wearily. Her body was shaking, and Gendry really regretted not ignoring this situation.

He cleared his throat awkwardly, "Um- uh, are you," he winced, "uh- okay?"

The woman looked up at him, her eyes red rimmed and glassy. She sniffled, shaking her head, her silver braids whipping about. "Sorry," she laughed weakly, wiping at her eyes, "I got locked out, and the landlord isn't answering his phone."

Her voice had a familiar lilt to it, Gendrys brows furrowing as she continued. "I know that's such a stupid reason for crying," she brought her knees closer to her chest, "but I've had such a shitty week."

Gendry nodded, though his mind was reeling. _Highborn,_ he realised, _she has a highborn accent._ He looked at her closely, her hair was silver and braided, and Gendry could spy a red ribbon tying it together. She had a soft face, and violet eyes. The urge to ask why she was here was on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed it down. Nothing good comes from getting involved with highborn ladies, even those in the worst part of Fleabottom.

"Yeah," he said, "Barroway usually dun bother with ya, unless yuh behind on yer rent."

He cringed inwardly at the sound of his accent, rough and harsh against her own. It had been so long since he was ashamed of how he spoke, but old insecurities seemed to flare up in the face of this crying woman.

"Oh." She replied, looking up helplessly at the door.

Her voice sounded in his ear once again - _help her stupid!_

Gendry hated how she lingered like this, how he couldn't live his life without her stupid, northern, highborn, beautiful voice infringing on his mind. He sighed, looking towards the womans door, down to the rusted handle.

"I can get it open for ya, if yu'd like."

Her eyes widened, "You can?"

He nodded back at her, turning around to place his helmet next to his shopping. "Any chance you 'ave two hair pins on ya?" She nodded, getting up to her feet and reaching into her hair, placing the pins in his hand.

"I 'ope you don't think this is weird." He said, before biting the plastic end of one pin off, straightening it as much as he could. He curved the end without the plastic into a hook, before placing the other pin into the lock, curving it into an L shape.

The woman was looking at him with abject curiosity, her head tilted. _At least it's not horror,_ he thought, putting the L shaped pin into the keyhole, _she needs thick skin to survive here._

He put a slight amount of pressure on the pin, in the direction the key would turn. Then, he inserted the other pin, hook first, and pushed it to the back, lifting it slightly. He repeated, feeling the binding pin and setting it each time. The plug rotated, and Gendry straightened.

He pressed the door handle down, the door opening as he did.

The woman squealed - at least he thought she did - before rushing over and hugging him, her hands thrown around his neck. Gendry froze, but she pulled back as quickly as she initiated, a bright smile on her face.

"Thank you!" She said, her hands clasped together, "Thank you so much!"

Gendry nodded, his neck feeling stiff, "Not a problem." He went back to his door, just across hers, "Maybe you should get a spare, just in case."

She laughed, "Yeah, probably." She looked back at him, a teasing gleam in her eyes, "Or I'll have to learn to pick locks with a hair pin."

Gendry snorted, though it felt unfamiliar, alien, "Let me know if ya get locked out again, an' I might teach ya."

The woman huffed, "Hopefully it won't happen again." She met his eyes, sincerity shining in them, "Thank you," she laughed, "I - what's your name?"

He picked up his helmet, pulling his keys from his pocket, "Gendry."

"Gendry." She mumbled, her brows furrowed. It was as if she recognised his name, but not him. Gendry shook it off just as she recovered, smiling widely at him. "I'm Dany."

"Nice ta meet ya, Dany."

"Nice to meet you too, Gendry." She backed into her apartment, her hand resting on the handle, "And again, thank you."

He nodded at her, raising his free hand in a wave as the door shut with a creak.

Gendry sighed, finally opening his own door, picking up his shopping and heading in. He placed his bag down on the counter with a thud, resting his elbows and dropping his head into his hands. An ache was forming behind his eyes, the ghosts of his past coming to haunt him.

 _Well,_ he thought, _one ghost in particular._

He ran a hand through his hair, sighing into his palm. There was something uncomfortably familiar about Dany, with her silver hair and violet eyes. Gendry didn't want to think about her highborn accent, but it came to the forefront of his mind.

The highborns pronounced everything, he knew, down to their t's and their h's. It used to make him feel out of place, his accent more omission than pronunciation. She had loved it, though, and she found great amusement in trying to make it thicker, getting him riled up to the point his words were incomprehensible.

Gendry opened his fridge, pulling out a beer, opening it with the counter edge, and headed to his couch. He took a long pull, letting the cheap bitterness travel down his throat, listening to his neighbour around him.

On one side, Gendry could hear the music from his neighbours through the wall and above him he could hear yelling, and the smashing of plates.

He wondered how Dany was faring. The first night _she_ had stayed over, she had taken it all in stride, prostitutes and all, but Gendry knew most highborns wouldn't be caught dead in the complex - in this neighbourhood.

 _Then what is she doing here?_ Once, Gendry might have asked, might have wanted to figure out the mystery with his girl next to him, leading the way. Now, he swilled more of his beer and listened to the music rattling his walls.

* * *

_Hot Pie's_ was empty, its red booths void of any people save for a few coming off their shifts, the smell of coffee hanging in the air. Its neon sign was a blaring bright white, but it hung off at the side, dangling like legs off a stool.

Gendry sat with his head down, sipping at his coffee and wolfing down his eggs. He let himself enjoy the quiet, the night dark around him.

"Gendry!" Hot Pie bumbled out the kitchen, a bright smile accompanying his ruddy cheeks. He quickly made his way over, carrying another pot of coffee in his hands. "Here ya go!" He said, pouring it into his mug. Gendry nodded, "Thanks, mate." He took a sip, "Noticed yer signs lookin' a bit shit, want me ta take a look at it?"

Hot Pie nodded eagerly, "Ah, thanks Bull, you'd save me life!” He set the pot down, scanning the area. Gendry frowned as he did so, "How come yer deliverin' this?" He asked, "Don't ya have waiters for that?"

"Nah," Hot Pie shook his head, his brown curls shaking with him, "we 'avent got a new waitress after - after - y'know."

Gendry did know, and he took a sip of his too hot coffee, letting it burn his tongue.

The bell chimed, and Hot Pie ran off to greet them. Gendry turned back to his breakfast for dinner, ignoring the person who sat next to him. He could feel their eyes on him, and his scowl deepened.

“What?” He barked, cutting up his bacon.

“Wow,” a soft, teasing voice came next to him, “is that any way to treat your favourite neighbour?”

Gendry turned, rubbing his jaw with a small smirk as the face of Dany from across the hall came into view. "Shit, sorry Dany," she smiled at him, "thought ye were some prick lookin' for a fight." She waved a hand at him, "No worries, I did just kind of stare at you."

She peered down at her menu, biting her lip before turning to him, "What would you recommend?"

He shrugged, "Depends what ya lookin for." He leant closer, tapping his finger on the white and red, laminate menu, "But the pies are pretty fuckin' legendary." She smiled thankfully at him, ordering and paying for a slice of cherry pie and stealing his coffee pot with a grin.

Danys eyes drifted across the diner, dark circles bringing out the violet and Gendry took her in properly, her slightly hunched stance, her droopy eyes. "So," he said, taking a sip, "what're doin' 'ere? At this time o' night?"

She yawned, a pale hand coming to cover her mouth, "I've been applying for jobs." She thrummed her fingers on the countertop, "Nowhere's taking on, so I've resorted to applying to bars," Dany scrunched her nose up, and Gendry hid his smirk in his coffee, "I don't even know how to pull a pint."

He snorted, "Bet yers are all jus' froth." She mock glared at him, before a smile curled onto her lips. "What do ya want to go for?"

"Waitressing," she took a sip of her coffee, "I worked in a restaurant for a few years, so I know what I'm doing at least."

The mystery of Dany from across the hall seemed to grow exponentially every time he spoke with her. The highborn accent was as clear as day, ringing out like bells in a sept, bright and sharp as broken glass. It sounded out like a beacon whenever she spoke, the words hitting against his own like a punch to the gut.

 _So what was she doing waitressing for years?_ Dany from across the hall was a true puzzle, mismatched pieces and missing sections coming together to form a incomplete picture. Gendry found himself involuntarily becoming more and more intrigued as time passed.

"Well," he said, leaning in conspiratorially, Dany mirroring him with a grin, "between you an' me, this place is pretty low on wait staff."

Her eyebrows shot up, "Really?"

"Really." He repeated, taking a bite from his meal.

Hot Pie emerged from the kitchen, placing Danys pie in front of her with a smile. It was freshly baked, the smell of cherry making its way in the air through tendrils of steam rising from the top. Dany smiled gratefully, only able to give her thanks before Hot Pie was running back to his kitchen, his round face flushed.

Gendry snorted, pouring more of his coffee.

Dany raised her fork to her mouth, taking a bite of the pie, her eyes closing as she chewed. "That," she said, waving her fork about, "is quite possibly the best pie I have ever tasted, oh my gods."

She took another forkful, shoving it into her mouth with a grin.

"So," she said, once her plate was clean, "why are you here, at this time of night?" Her smile was teasing, and her words filled with amusement.

"Jus' got off a shift," he replied, "I work as a mechanic."

"Ah," she said, drinking more of her coffee, "do you usually work so late?"

He shook his head, reaching for the pot. "No," he poured more for himself, and then Dany, "if I'm workin' late it's because I've 'ad a shift at The Crossroads."

Dany gulped down her coffee, drumming her fingers against the side of her mug, "That's the bar, isn't it?" She asked, "The one on Lady Street?"

Gendry and everyone else in Fleabottom called Lady Street, Poppy Street. It earned its name from an infamous drug-ring that used to reside there. They apparently created a new version of heroin, and branded it 'poppy' so as to not alert the police. It worked for a while, he heard, and the street gained its name throughout locals. In 1926, though, they were busted and Lady Street became known as Poppy Street forever.

Gendry doubted Dany knew that.

"Yeah," he replied, "it's a shithole but, not as much as a shithole as it could be."

Dany giggled lightly, her laugh ringing out like wind-chimes in the breeze. Gendry saw Hot Pie watching him with wide eyes and a pointed stare, ping-ponging between him and Dany. He shrugged it off, picking up his jacket.

"How're you gettin' home?" He asked, pulling his jacket on, taking his helmet from the floor an setting it on the counter. Dany shrugged in reply, finishing her coffee, "I'll probably just walk."

Gendrys mouth fell open, "You're gonna walk through Fleabottom, in the dark, _alone?_ You're fuckin' mad, Dany." He shook his head, standing up, "I'll take ya home," his eyes met Hot Pies, "talk ta Hot Pie now, he runs the place."

Dany smiled at him, hugging him lightly. "Thank you." She whispered, and Gendry slowly drew his arms around her before pulling back. "It's not a problem," he replied, "i'll wait outside 'til ya done." 

He stepped outside into the cold, letting the wind hit his face. He leant against his bike, reaching into his pockets and withdrawing his cigs and lighter. It was a black lighter, with a simple bulls head stamped onto it. Sometimes he hated looking at it.

The flame lit up, and Gendry pressed the cigarette to his lips. He inhaled, letting the smoke tighten his lungs, feeling the warmth clench at him. He exhaled, the heat rushing from him, leaving him with the frigid air and guilt creeping up his spine.

He could hear her voice in his head, small, timid, so unlike her - _you promised you would quit._

Gendry crushed the cigarette beneath his boot, _Hot Pies_ neon sign glaring at him with distaste, flickering every so often.

Dany emerged then, her silver hair gleaming like moonshine in the light of the sign. She had a bright grin on her face, and walked with a skip in her step. Gendry waved her over, his hand casting a large shadow.

“I got it!” She squealed, jumping on the balls of her feet, “He said that if I know what i'm doing in the trial, then i’ve got it! And I do!”

Danys excitement was contagious, and Gendry found himself laughing with her. “Congrats.” He said, handing her his helmet, “C’mon, we’ll celebrate with drinks at mine.”

She smiled at him, slotting the comically large helmet onto her head. They got on the bike, and _Hot Pies_ neon sign was left hanging in the dust.

* * *

**Hot Pie:** How did you meet Dany??? Why was I not told abt this??? explain yourself

 **Me:** she lives across from me, why would I need to tell u this?

 **Hot Pie:** Because!! She looks like that!!

 **Me:** like what, Pie

 **Hot Pie:** Ur such an asshole!!! She looks like a literal walking talking goddess!! She was so nice im thinking she acc was one,,,,,,conspiracy?

 **Me:** no

 **Hot Pie:** Ur so mean to me :(

But ur nice to her!!

 **Me:** bc shes not a pain in my ass

unlike u

 **Hot Pie:** Hm

Im just saying, shes really nice!! And pretty!!! Theres worse girls out there

 **Me** _:_ pie. watch ur words

 **Hot Pie:** Mate, for real this time

Its been over a year since u broke up, maybe its time to start looking around?

I mean, u were the one to break it off

 **Me:** im well fuckin aware of that

im not ready for a new relationship. I dont think I ever will be

besides, it wouldn't be w dany anyway, shes really just a friend. I don't think of her like that

 **Hot Pie:** U don't think of anyone like tht!!! thts the problem

Mate, im telling u this bc im ur friend, u need to move on

u have to

_Read: 11:42am_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ooooh my god  
> new fic !!! i canny believe i’m starting another one, but here i am. this is definitely a ‘fuck it i’ll write it myself fic  
> i have so much in store for this fic, and this is really only the beginning  
> also, i just want to preface this by saying gendrya is endgame, i wouldn’t tag it otherwise. i hope i’ve made it clear tht gendry isn’t over arya, but there’s still so much more to come  
> anyways, as always thank you all so much for reading n pls comment n lmk what u think !!


	2. headspace

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ tumblr ](https://summersnowz.tumblr.com/)

**Headspace**

_Headspace, I need her out of my headspace_

_There's a war in here and I need you to take_

_Take her out of my headspace_

_Did these 5.5 litres of blood_

_Have too sour a taste_

_For your sweet taste buds?_

The laundromat had the faint smell of bleach lingering in the air, sticking to the rusted washing machines and the yellow and red stained tiles. A rumbling sound filled the empty space, the machine rattling side to side as if it may give out at any moment, an odd metal twang sounding out every few minutes.

Gendry sat on one of the machines next to the wall, his feet planted on the floor. His phone was in one hand, the screen cracked to bits, the glass nicking his skin as he scrolled. He held a cigarette in the other, tapping it as the ash fell to the floor.

He lifted the cigarette to his lips, inhaling as a figure made their way through the door, jumping back as they caught sight of him.

“Holy mother above!” Dany exclaimed, placing a hand on her chest, her basket situated on her hip. She breathed in heavily, sending him a glare at his smirk.

“Didn’t know yer religious, Dan.” He placed his phone to the side, snuffing out his ciggie on the machines top. Dany shook her head, walking over to the middle of the room where his machine was rattling away, setting her basket down.

“I'm not,” she said, loading her washing, “but you scared me so much I think I became a bloody septa.” She looked at him, her violet eyes curious, “Why are you down here anyway? It’s three am.”

"Same reason as you," he replied, leaning back on his hands, "no-one around at three."

"Besides you," she said, stuffing her clothes in the machine, "evidently."

"Evidently." Gendry repeated, his accent warping and ripping apart the word, making it guttural and so unlike the word she had just uttered. His fingers twitched, and he ducked his head, reaching for another cigarette.

The jingling sound from the washing machine accompanied the flicking of his lighter, Dany pushing buttons and closing the machine, resting her basket by the side. It began to rumble back and forth, pushing against the one next to it.

She smiled at him, hoisting herself up besides him and pulling one leg beneath her, letting the other dangle limply over the edge.

He exhaled, smoke drifting through the air. He turned his head to Dany, silently offering her the cigarette.

Dany waved her hand, "Oh, no thank you," she said, offering him a smile, "I don't smoke."

Gendry nodded, taking a drag instead, holding it and exhaling. "Yeah," he said, scuffing his shoes on the floor, "I - uh - quit actually."

Dany watched him with curiosity in her eyes and he sighed, looking up at the yellow lights, "Around about four years ago." There was a fly stuck in the light, buzzing and flying trying to get out, "But, um," he tilted his head, "I picked it back up again a year ago."

He placed it back to his lips, inhaling, holding, exhaling, "Shit 'abit, though."

There was silence, for a moment, only the washing machines and the faint sound of sirens could be heard. Danys soft voice cut through it, her violet gaze equally as soft, "Why did you quit in the first place?"

He huffed, dropping his head. The night was dark around them, a sickly, dim yellow illuminated the room, and he wondered what it was about nighttime that got people so inclined to share their feelings.

"There wa' a girl," he said, keeping his head down, "she - uh," he smiled, "she 'ated my smokin', but she never really told me, never let on, actually."

"The only reason I found out," he continued, "was because one night she thought I wa' asleep an' she said - uh - tha' she wa' sacred o' loosin' me ta somethin' I could control." Gendry lifted his head, smiling at the memory of her on his chest, drawing patterns on his skin, "I quit cold turkey the next day."

Dany pulled her knee up to her chest, resting her chin on it, her voice gentle, "She sounds like a great girl."

"Yeah," he replied, "she was - is - is." He shook his head, resting it on the wall, "We broke up a year ago an' I picked it back up again."

They lingered in silence again, yelling echoing outside.

"Tell me about her." Dany said, turning her head and resting her cheek on her knee, smiling at him.

Gendry chuckled, "Anyone ever tell ya tha' yer scary easy ta talk to?"

"I've gotten out a confession or two."

"A confession about what?"

"It's best if you don't know that," she turned fully to him, sitting cross legged on the machine, her eyes eager, her smile small, "now c'mon, tell me about her."

"Well," he started, stubbing out his cigarette and flicking it to the floor, "she were a massive pain in me ass, constantly naggin' me an' gettin' me ta go out an' actually do shit."

Dany giggled, "I can imagine that went over well."

"Yeah," he laughed lightly, "yeh'd think so but," he paused, cracking his knuckles,"I'd do anythin' fer 'er, if it made 'er happy." He thought of her wild smile, teeth showing, her grey eyes dancing, "Even if it meant 'avin to stand outside fer 3 hours jus' ta see some band she liked."

Gendry tipped his head against the wall, an involuntary smile on his face, "She were everythin' I wasn't, she could make friends at the drop o' a hat an' she loved goin' out 'n' shit." He paused, dragging his hand down his jaw, "We shouldn't a worked, but we did."

"She were everythin' ta me," he sighed, turning his head to Dany who was watching him with a small smile, "She was my best friend."

Dany smiled, sad and soft, "It must have been hard ending things."

"Yeah," he replied, "it was."

Gendry could see her grey eyes filled with tears, spilling over and onto her red cheeks. Her hair was in a braid, strands falling into her eyes and he could see the shirt she was wearing, his old Sevenstrings top. It fell to her knees, and had a hole on the collarbone. He never got it back.

"What happened?"

He turned his head against the wall, giving her a sad smile, "Life."

Dany nodded, drawing both of her knees up to her chest, reminiscent of the first time he met her. She placed her cheek on her knees, reaching out and scratching off the chipped paint on the wall. "I've never had a best friend." Her voice was soft, her eyes trained on the wall, "Not really."

Gendry looked at her, silently urging her to continue. "I mean," she said, shrugging, "I've had friends, I guess, but I've - I've never had a best friend, y'know?"

"Like," she shifted, dropping her knees again, "I've never had someone that I could tell everything or - or go out with and know that they'll have my back if anything goes wrong." She smiled at him, though it was twinged with sadness, "It's not a big deal but," she bit her lip slightly, "I guess it would have been nice to have."

"Well," Gendry said, giving her a grin, "if it helps, I 'avent got a best friend, not anymore."

Danys brows knitted together, "Hot Pie?"

"Nah," he said, "Hot Pies a good friend, an' I've known 'im for ages but he's not my best friend." He shook his head, "Plus, he's got Lommy."

"Oh," she replied, dragging out the 'o', "I thought you two were close? But then again, Lommy is always at the diner."

"Yeah," Gendry mumbled, "Yeh'd think he was the one livin' above it the amount o' times I've seen him sittin' at that bloody counter."

She giggled, "He's like our own mascot."

"Ah, yes, what a fantastic mascot he'd make," Gendry made his voice higher, flailing his arms about, "Hi, I'm Lommy, I never do any actual work and I'm quite possibly the most annoying person you will ever meet!"

"Oh gods," Dany wheezed, "why do you sound so much like him?"

"Too much time around 'is annoying fuckin' face."

"Don't be mean," she said, swatting his arm though her shoulder were still shaking with laughter, "besides, he's not that annoying, and Hot Pie likes him!"

"Dany," he said, levelling her gaze, "Hot Pies opinion means absolutely nothin' to me."

"He is weirdly knowledgable, though." She replied, brushing her hair away from her face, "Like that guy in that move called - called," she snapped her fingers, "you know, the movie with the guy with the ponytail."

"The one with the Corren Dryser in it?"

"No - no, that's the Long Night," she looked around the room, clicking her tongue, "The ponytail guy, you know!" At his blank face she continued, "He's got like a scar on his face." She mimed the scar out, drawing her finger down her cheek.

"Oh!" He exclaimed, snapping his fingers too, "The one with the dragons?"

"Yes!" She shouted, "What's it called?"

"Treasure of Valyria."

"Fuck, yeah," Dany scrunched her nose up, "awful movie."

"Oh yeah," he replied, nodding his head solemnly, "absolute shit."

"The dragons are cool though."

"Dragons make everythin' cool, but even they couldn't save tha' movie."

"But," she said, sitting up straight, "Hot Pie is like the ponytail guy, weirdly omniscient but at the same time, so stupid."

Gendry hummed, "Lommy would be the guy tha' got killed first."

"Shut up," she said, giggling, "anyway, I'm just saying, maybe Hot Pies opinion should mean a little more to you."

_You need to move on._

"Nah," Gendry said, "he's full o' shit, Hot Pie, 'as been since 'e was a kid." Little Hot Pie would run around for hours telling people everyones secrets, then would spend hours vehemently denying it and always throwing somebody else under the bus.

Gendry admired his work ethic.

"Did he know the girl you were with?" Dany asked with curiosity written across her face.

"Yeah, she -uh - she used ta work at the diner," he grinned, "they got on like a 'ouse on fire, bit scary to be 'onest."

Dany stayed silent, but a question was painted on her features. He nodded, and she spoke. "You still love her, don't you?" There was no judgement in her voice, only a soft sort of sadness.

"Dun matter, does it?" He shrugged, "We broke up, it's done."

Dany hummed, twisting herself around, leaning her head against the wall. "In my experience," she said, "when things feel like they're over, it's usually when they're just beginning." She played with her bracelet, running her fingers over the leather, "When we hit our lowest, we are the most open for change."

"Would you recognise her?" She asked, her head slightly titled, "If you saw her again, would you recognise her?"

He thought of her brown hair that would curl by her ear, of her eyes so dark and grey they seemed black. Her laugh, her walk, the freckle underneath her eye, her accent.

"Yeah," he replied, "I would."

"Would she recognise you, do you think?"

"No," he said, closing his eyes, "she wouldn't"

Dany looked down at her bracelet, "You know, the only person I've ever really had in my life was my brother." He cracked his eye open, watching her through narrowed slits. "My parents died when I was a baby, and our guardian died when I was five. It was just me and him."

"I thought that because he was my family, I owed some sort of obligation to him, some sort of debt." She shuddered, her eyes distant and glassy, "He used to be kind, a good brother, but the years changed him and he became cruel and sick."

"When he hit his lowest, he changed, he became unrecognisable," she continued, looking at him with understanding in her eyes, "but he wasn't my brother anymore."

The machine stopped rumbling, the jingle sounding through the air. Gendry jumped to his feet, unloading the dryer and stuffing it into his basket. He turned back to Dany, who was sitting there, swinging her feet with a smile.

"Y'know," he said, giving her a small smile, his eyes narrowed, "I think I'm startin' ta get why those people confessed ta ya."

* * *

 **Dany 10F:** Hey, where's that shop you mentioned again?

 **Me:** the one where I told u the cashier never gets laid so he gives women discounts?

 **Dany 10F:** Yes

Don't judge me

 **Me:** wasn't gna, there's a reason I shop on silk street whenever I can

and its on hightower street

 **Dany 10F:** Thank you!! Food costs.. money

 **Me:** too much money

also, beware walking past 6F today, pretty sure I saw a group of lads at the door

u know what theyre like

 **Dany 10F:** Gross

Also have you seen Mrs. Taller lately? She hasn't left her house in like 5 days

 **Me:** maybe her husband finally killed her

 **Dany 10F:** Gendry! Dont say that omg

 **Me:** tht man is an axe murderer

u know it n I know it 

lock ur doors dan

 **Dany 10F:** See now you know im going to do that

Asshole

 **Me:** can't have u getting murdered by

whats his name again

 **Dany 10F:** Alran, and her name is Raiyana

 **Me:** weird name

 **Dany 10F:** Your name is literally Gendry. Gendry

Also, shouldn't you know his name? In case he is actually an axe murderer

 **Me:** not like he wont kill me if I know his name

 **Dany 10F:** For a police report?

 **Me:** nothing gets reported round here

there's literally a prostitution ring being run out of our neighbours apartment

 **Dany 10F:** Thats just a theory

Plausible, but still

 **Me:** ill stick whats his name on u for tht

 **Dany 10F:** Alran!!

Are you on a shift tonight?

 **Me:** yeah, crossroads but i’m finished at 7

 **Dany 10F:** Cool, I'll let Alran know x

 **Me:** when I get murdered, its on u

 **Dany 10F:** Shut up

I have something to tell u tonight, also im making lasanga

 **Me:** I will be right fuckin there

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> gendrys one of those people whos more fun over text  
> and now the story is really beginning, bestie vibes starting, secrets sharin, another secret abt to be shared !! fun stuff  
> the plot will now begin in earnest, meaning more characters introduced, more storylines, more slow-burn of gendrya !! this is gna be a long story yall  
> also, i just wanted to ask if anyone has any modern headcannons they would like to share !! dany especially, but any character you can think of !  
> (spoiler !! minor but also not !! also, also, i dont know who dany will get with - if any - but it wont be jon bc in this r+l=j n i dont write modern incest. which uno. weird sentence to type)  
> as always, thank you all so much for reading and please comment, lmk what u think, any ideas any headcannons i wanna hear it all !!


	3. freedom of falling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [ tumblr ](https://summersnowz.tumblr.com/)

**Freedom of Falling**

_Don't dry your eyes, it'll start to show_

_There's no use in trying if you can't get close_

_So take me tonight somewhere I can find the freedom of falling_

_The freedom of falling_

Danys apartment smelt of lavender and vanilla, her candles on every surface burning with a small flame. They casted a warmth over the apartment, and though she was only across the hall Gendry found himself wondering if they were even in the same complex as before. Her walls were painted a soft cream, green and light pink accents situated around the room, a sharp contrast to the peeling, molded paint just outside her apartment.

“Dany,” Gendry said, waving his fork about, “I dun know what you put in this, but it is fuckin’ amazin’.” 

“Natural gift I suppose.” Her tone was casual, her smile teasing yet Gendry could see the undercurrent of worry on her face, nervousness etched into the pale lines of her skin. He placed his fork down slowly, fixing her with a stare. “So,” he leant back, “what do ya need ta talk to me about?”

She huffed lightly, her hands playing with the silver stands of her hair, tied half-up half-down with a red ribbon in the back. She ran the silk through her fingers, up and down in a repetitive motion as Gendry watched on, picking up his fork and spinning it between his fingers. 

“Hypothetically,” she started, “if someone - hypothetically - had a _lot_ of money, that they don’t know what to do with and has been eating them up for a while, what,” she cleared her throat, her violet eyes looking at her imploringly, “what would you, hypothetically, tell them to do?” 

Gendry dropped the fork as his hand went up to his jaw, his mind weary, “Hypothetically?”

“Yes,” Dany replied, her hands falling to her lap, “hypothetically.” 

_Weirder things have happened,_ he thought, as he lightly sighed and sat up straight. “Well,” he said, “I would ask this hypothetical person if there were somethin’ they _needed_ ta do with the money.”

“Like,” he continued, “a new ‘ouse or car or somethin’.” 

Dany nodded, her thumb trapped between her teeth. “Hypothetically,” her thumb dropped from her mouth, “this person chose their apartment for a reason,” she paused, her narrowed eyes to the side, her head tilted, “and they also don’t have their drivers license.” 

“Would this hypothetical person ‘ave chosen their apartment because the landlord takes cash in hand?” 

She sighed, her nose scrunching, “Yes?” 

Gendry groaned, throwing his head back and dragging his hand down his face, “Fuckin’ hells, Dany.” He met her eyes, a deep violet in the shadows of the candlelight, “Knew there were somethin’ weird about you, Dan.” She gave him a meek smile in return, and Gendry sighed, resting his head in his hands. _Highborns,_ he thought, _t’s and h’s._

“Alright,” his voice was muffled, and he lifted his head. Her gaze speared his soul, apprehension on her features, “tell me the truth then.”

She looked down at her hands, picking at her nails, “It’s,” she swallowed, “it’s complicated.” 

_Complicated seems to follow me_ , Gendry mused. He remembered when he asked _her_ about her family, his hands toying with the ends of her braid. It was an absent-minded question, one that he murmured half asleep, his face on her chest. She had tensed up, her hands stilling in his hair, long enough for his sleep riddled brain to realise he had said the wrong thing.

He had apologised immediately, the burns littering his arms aching with a phantom pain. Her small hands cupped his face, kissing him sweetly and it felt like a sigh of relief, a feeling of coming home after a long day and a realisation of _oh, this is it_ . She whispered against his lips, hers pulled into a frown, _It’s just complicated._

“Yeah,” he said, reaching for his beer, “everything with highborns is complicated.” 

_‘You wouldn’t get it Gendry! It’s - it’s,’ she sighed, running a hand through her hair, ‘it’s complicated!’_

_‘Oh I wouldn't get it, would I?’ His nostrils flared and his voice boomed around the room, ‘I’m too stupid to get it, aren’t I? Too bloody lowborn to understand m’lady highs problems.’ He bowed mockingly at her, taking some sick sort of pride in the way her face twisted. ‘Or is it that I’m too bloody lowborn to mean anything at all, Miss Stark?’_

Shame bubbled in his stomach, but he pushed it down as Danys head whipped up, offering her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. Her brows knitted together, her lips pursed, “How did you know?” 

Gendry snorted, taking a pull from the bottle. “It’s kinda obvious,” he said, raising a brow at her confused face, “t’s an’ h’s, Dany.” 

“Oh,” she replied, drawing it out, “my accent?”

He nodded, placing the beer back on the table, drumming his fingers on the wood. “Like a blarin’ red sign.” Dany groaned, dropping her head into one of her hands. “Don’t worry,” he said, catching her eyes, “it’s obvious ta me, but most people will think yer just well spoken.” 

“Why is it obvious to you?” She asked, genuine curiosity shining in her violet eyes. Gendry shrugged, “Don’t try ta change the subject, Dan.” He smiled, one corner of his mouth tugging upwards, “So, what great an’ noble ‘ouse are yer from?”

She tilted her head, silver hair falling over her shoulder, “You really don’t know, do you?” Gendry leant back in his seat, shrugging again. “Do you not watch the news?” She asked, taking a sip from her wine.

The last time he had watched the news, her face had shone on his screen. She stood next to her family, tiny, almost invisible to the side of them and all he could see was her, looking out and waving at the crowds. There was a wide, closed-mouth smile on her face, and she stood with poise and pride. Nothing like his girl and her wild grin with teeth showing, yet exactly the same. She had looked so tired.

Gendry shook his head, watching with amusement as Dany sighed before chugging the rest of her wine.

“Targaryen,” she said, her voice raspy, “House Targaryen.” 

“What?” Gendry felt as if a bucket of ice water had just been dumped over his head, his mind rebooting itself. There was worry in her violet eyes, and something in him just clicked.

“I’m so fuckin’ stupid.” The silver hair, the violet eyes. He knew she was a highborn, yet he hadn’t put it together. Dany from across the hall was fucking _royalty,_ highest of the high. 

“I am _so_ fuckin’ stupid.” He repeated as Dany stifled a giggle, walking to the fridge and getting another beer from him, pouring herself another glass. Gendry snatched it from the table, immediately taking a swig, “I’ve been livin’ across the hall from fuckin’ royalty.”

Dany swilled her wine. “Technically,” she pointed out, “it’s ex-royalty.” Her brows creased, “And former first-family, I guess.” Gendry glared at her, letting the cheap beer soothe his throat. _Fucking royalty,_ he thought, _of course she’s fucking royalty._

He sighed, letting the silence hang in the air. Dany kept her eyes on the wine in front of her, her lips stained the same dark red and her teeth sunk into them, tearing at the skin. “So,” he finally said, his eyebrows knotted together, “why the fuck are you in this shithole?” 

Dany exhaled, tipping her head back before she huffed a laugh, “Besides the amazing neighbours?”

“Yeah,” Gendry replied, picking up his bottle, “Alrans a real charmer.”

“You remembered his name!” She exclaimed, her eyes lighting up for the first time that evening. Gendry just smiled at her, tipping his head forward as she leant back, her smile slipping slightly.

“Well,” she started, “first things first, my full name is Daenerys Targaryen.”

“What the fuck!” Gendrys mouth fell open, “Dany isn’t yer name?”

“No, no,” she rectified, shaking her head, “Dany’s my nickname, just not my full name.” She fixed him with a stare, and not for the first time Gendry felt as if she were picking apart his soul. “Are you going to let me explain without interruption?” 

He reached for his beer, holding it to his chest as he nodded.

“So,” Dany shifted, pulling her sock clad feet underneath her, sitting cross-legged even on the dining chair, “I’m guessing you know about my father?” Gendry nodded, everybody knew about Aerys Targaryen, everybody knew about the tragedy after tragedy that hit the Targaryen family.

“And I told you a bit about my brother,” again, he nodded in reply and Dany took a gulp from her glass, “he sold me into an arranged marriage.” 

“What,” Gendry said, his voice monotone, “the fuck.” 

“I told you not to interrupt!”

“‘Ow the fuck am I supposed to not interrupt?” His voice rose, “You just told me yer brother sold ya!” 

“Yeah,” she replied, “and if you would let me speak I can explain it!” 

Gendry waved his hand for her to continue, taking a sip from his beer. The candles flickered, and he itched for a ciggie, his fingers twitching around the neck of the bottle. Dany ran a finger over the rim of her glass, a squeaking sound echoing through the air.

“In my family, people don’t inherit things when they turn eighteen.” Her eyes were downcast, focusing on the glass in front of her, “It’s some weird tradition, about like, bad luck and all. It’s written into every will, every legal document they have. Instead, they inherit when they turn twenty-five.” 

“When my brother turned twenty-five, he inherited everything.” Dany gulped, “The family business, the money, the estate, the _debt.”_

She stayed silent for a moment, her eyes distant. “We should have paid the debts off first,” she said, tapping her fingers on the glass, “but Viserys wanted to be apart of that world, even if it costed us everything.”

“So,” Dany cleared her throat, giving him a rueful smile, “we became part of high society.” Gendry watched as she downed her wine again, already pouring herself another one. “It was fucking hell.” 

Gendry huffed a laugh, though in his mindseye he could see Dany in a fancy dress, gliding across a ballroom. She had something about her, a magnetism so prevalent that he could see her clearly, drinking champagne from a skinny flute with her ribbons in her hair.

 _Must be the royalty,_ he thought, Dany silent in front of him. He drummed his fingers on the table, sending her a smile as she sighed, the action seemingly becoming second nature to her. 

“We went to balls and galas and fancy dinners,” she scrunched up her nose, “and it was so different to the life I had before that I just felt totally alone.” Danys hand went up to her hair, playing with the ribbon absent-mindedly, “The only good thing about it was that I got to go to uni.” 

“What did you study?” He asked and the picture of Dany in a lecture hall started to form in his mind, her notes colour coordinated. Gendry decided he liked it much better than the new image he had, of her sitting lonely while a crowd full of people with jewels in their hair sneered at her. 

“Law, I got my masters,” she replied, “and I did a year of work experience before,” her smile dropped, her face blank, “before everything went to shit.” 

“After a while, we became borderline bankrupt.” Danys face shuttered, becoming vacant and empty. “So, Viserys did what he wanted to do,” she shrugged, taking a sip from her wine, “and he made a deal with Khal Drogo.” 

Gendrys eyebrows rose to his hairline, the name _Khal Drogo_ bouncing about in his mind. Infamous around Westeros, ideoloised by some. Fleabottom boys knew the name well, his name whispered in the ring as a man to one day become, a man who balanced business and violence in the same breath.

“Shit, Dany,” he let out a breath, “was he the one who..” He trailed off, ice in his veins. 

“Yeah.” She whispered, the word coming out a tremble and Gendry could see her hands shaking as she toyed with her fingers. He dragged a hand down his face - _comfort her, stupid._ She would have already been in front of Dany, knowing exactly what to say and offering soothing words.

Gendry stood, his chair scraping across the floor. Danys head whipped up, her eyes glassy as he walked towards her, crouching and placing a hand on her knee. “Dany,” he said, “your brother sounds like a right prick.” 

He winced as the words came from his mouth, harsh and rough like sandpaper. There was a moment of silence, before Danys laughter pierced the air. She nodded her head, “Yeah,” her laugh tapered off, weak at the edges, “he is.”

Gendry squeezed her knee, a silent reassurance as she took a shaky breath in. “He made a deal with Drogo,” she said, “I marry him, and in return Drogo would back Viserys.” 

A grim smirk overtook curled on her lips, pulling at the corners of her mouth. “They didn’t bag on me fucking them over.” Her eyes met his, a gleam shimmering in the violet, “After Drogo died, I made off with the money from his will,” she shrugged, picking up her glass, “changed my name, moved to a place where they would never think to look for me.” 

Gendry sat back, his knees pulled up and his feet on the floor, “How did Drogo die?”

Dany lifted her glass to her lips, her eyes boring into his, “Natural causes.” 

He nodded, watching as she took a sip, “Pass me my beer would you?” Dany did so, and when she handed it to him she got off the chair herself, and sat next to him on the hard floor. She gave him a smile, and he thought it was supposed to be comforting, but all his mind could think of was _what the fuck._

“Why did you tell me this?” He asked, gulping down the cheap beer.

She shrugged in reply, teeth tearing the skin from her lip. “I needed to tell someone,” her hands fiddled with the glass, “and I figured I could trust you with it.” Danys hands stilled, her gaze meeting his once again, “Can I?”

Gendry snorted, almost involuntarily, “Who am I gonna tell?” He asked, shaking his head, “Hot Pie? I wouldn’t trust ‘im with a secret even if me life depended on it.”

Dany huffed a laugh, but there was a nervousness still present on her face. He sighed and leant forward, one leg underneath him, and dropped his voice to a whisper. “I’ll tell ya a secret of my own, if ye’d like.”

One of her brows raised, intrigue playing on her features, “Go on then.”

“Yuh know tha’ girl I told you about, at the laundromat?” At her nod, he continued, “Well, ya might know ‘er,” he sucked a breath in, ignoring her confused look and taking a swig from his beer, “her name’s Arya Stark.” 

“What the fuck!” 

“I’m guessin’ ya do know ‘er then.” 

“Know her? Gendry are you fucking kidding!” Her mouth dropped open, her eyes wide as saucers, “Oh my fucking gods.” 

“It’s not tha’ shockin’.”

“Yes,” Dany insisted, her hands puncating her statement “it is!” 

“Well.” He grumbled, gulping down the rest of his beer.

Her mouth was still wide open, her eyebrows raised to the top of her head as questions spilled from her. “How did you even meet? Did her parents know?” She shook her head, “I can’t see Catelyn Stark taking that well - oh my gods, is that why you broke up? Gendry where are you going!” 

He made his way to the fridge, pulling out another beer, and another one too. “We are not talkin’ about this.” He put the beer top in his mouth, opening it with his teeth and spitting it out, pointing the bottle at her, “We are _not_ talkin’ about this.”

Dany raised her hands in mock surrender. “Fine, fine.” She sighed, though he could see a smile tugging at her lips.

Gendry narrowed his eyes at her, “So,” he said, “let’s talk about this money.”

* * *

**Dany 10F:** I’m looking at a new office today, wanna come?

 **Me:** yeah sure

where n what time 

**Dany 10F:** 3pm, Steel Street

 **Me:** fancy 

**Dany 10F:** I know !! Hopefully this will be the one

 **Me:** fingers crossed 

that last one was shit 

**Dany 10F:** Literally 

Who puts a toilet in the middle of an office space?

 **Me:** to be fair, you were looking on lindown lane

that place is fucking terrible 

**Dany 10F:** Yeah thats my bad

Also dress nice for this

 **Me:** i'll wear the one dress shirt that i own 

**Dany 10F:** Thats all i ask !!

 **Me:** i’ll take you this time 

cant have u getting lost again 

**Dany 10F:** Fair enough 

Be ready for half 2 

**Me:** its only a 10 min drive 

**Dany 10F:** Im not taking any chances !! 

Be ready or i’ll kill you 

**Me:** calm it alran 

**Dany 10F:** xoxoxo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the reveal !! i didn’t want to make it too dramatic, bc i didn’t think it would work and i kinda like it. i’m also liking the friendship between these two, n i legit realised yesterday tht they’re actually related. fun !  
> also, next chapter we’re going to be at a bar and some very, very familiar faces are going to show ;)  
> also also, does anyone else have a massive pet peeve of when gendrya is tagged (and tagged first) but it’s not endgame in any way ?? like, they end up w other ppl. pls, my mental health is fragile enough luv  
> edit: this ^ note was not abt this fic or any of my fics !! i’m not changing it from gendrya, and i don’t have any plans to. what i mentioned is my personal pet peeve, so i’m just clearing tht up <3  
> as always, thank you all so much for reading and please comment n lmk what u think !!


	4. high

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [ tumblr ](https://summersnowz.tumblr.com/)

**High**

_I hope you think of me high_

_I hope you think of me highly_

_When you're with someone else_

_I know your friends all lie_

_I know your friends don't like me_

_They want you for themselves_

“I don’t know,” Dany sighed, resting her elbows on the bartop, “it’s a big commitment.” 

Gendry nodded in agreement, polishing one of the pint glasses from behind the bar. He still wore his fancy dress shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, showcasing the collage of scars and tattoos littering his forearms. “Yeah,” he said, placing the glass down, picking up another, “but yuh ‘ave ta make a decision eventually.” 

“I know.” She groaned, dropping her head to the table. Gendry grimaced, knowing the wood was most likely sticky to the touch; with what, he couldn’t say. He placed the glass back down, throwing the towel over his shoulder and fixing her with a stare.

“Listen, Dan, that place was nice,” he shook his head, “no, it was nicer than nice - it was fancy.” He emphasised the last word by raising his eyebrows as Dany looked up at him.

She pursed her lips, “It was pretty fancy.” She smirked, huffing a laugh, “It had windows taller than you.” Her silver hair shook as she raised her head fully, drumming her fingers on the sticky countertops with a contemplative look - her brows pulled together.

“I just -” Dany sighed, sucking the air between her teeth, “I just want it to be perfect, you know?” Gendry nodded as she continued, “I _need_ it to be perfect.” 

Her teeth tore skin from her lip, “If i’m going to help people, then i’m not going to half-ass it.” Danys eyes blazed with a fire, her stare hardened; her eyes more like stones than gems. Gendry found himself in a reluctant awe as she spoke, her voice a strong steel against the mindless chatter. 

“I don’t want to be like them useless bastards in government, or that piss-head defence attorney that gets them out of their own shit.” Her nose twitched, she leaned forward, “What’s the point in having all that power if you’re not going to help the people that need it?” Dany asked, continuing without his answer. “Isn’t that the point of being a lawyer? A politician? To protect those who can’t protect themselves.” 

Someone bumped into her, spilling his beer on the floor. “Oi!” Gendry called, as the man wiped his front down, “Watch where yer fuckin’ goin’ mate!” The man waved him off, continuing his stumbling.

Dany was undeterred. “They just do it for themselves,” She spat, her braids swaying with the shake of her head, “so they can hoard their money and power, drinking thousand pound champaign while people have to work two jobs just to afford food.” 

“They pick and choose their problems,” she said, “and those scumbag lawyers defend them; pushing down the people who truly need their help, who have been let down by the system.” 

Her eyes lit up, and Gendry found himself hanging on to her every word. “It’s like a wheel,” she determined as the chatter got louder, Lem on the other side of the bar pulling pints, “on and on and on it goes, those with power at the top, not letting go until it spins and another one takes their place.”

Gendry interjected, “Crushin’ those underneath it.”

A smile came onto her face - ruthless and harsh. “I’m going to break the wheel,” his eyebrows rose, “Robert Baratheon won’t stop me, Tyrion Lannister,” she listed, “Ned fucking Stark.” She had a determined look, her head nodding, “I’m going to break it.” 

Her speech reminded him of Arya, of her lying on his chest, drawing circles into his skin. She would prop herself up on her elbow, and speak about her volunteer and activist work with such a passion that he wanted to kiss her senseless. Her cheeks were flushed, her brown hair matted to her forehead and her eyes shone with promise and passion and fervour. She had never looked so beautiful.

Gendry smiled back at Dany. “It’s a nice dream,” he said, “a bit optimistic, but fer some reason I believe ya.” He pulled a pint for a drunken bald man, “I can see how ya won yer cases.” 

He gave the pint to the man, who pressed the suspiciously wet coins into his palm as payment. Gendry turned back to Dany, putting the coins into the register, “Thing is Dan, them people in charge are the same ones every time.” He braced his hands on the counter, “Baratheon, Lannister, Tyrell,” his breath caught, “Stark.”

“They inherit their money, an’ status, an’ they use it to make decisions about shit they’ve never experienced.” The words rolled from his tongue, his accent becoming thicker with each one, “Some o’ them are good, some o’ them care,” he shrugged, “most o’ them don’t.” 

“Highborns rule this world,” Gendry continued, “we may ‘ave democracy, an’ we may vote but highborns will always be in charge.” 

Gendry straightened, taking another order and pouring the shots for a group of girls and putting it on their tab. “Ya may be able to do it Dan,” he smirked, “but ya need an office first.” 

She groaned, but it was cut through by a light giggle as she pressed a hand against her mouth, the corners of her eyes crinkling. They spoke of the office for a few moments, the benefits of tall windows and the view, a large space with no mold - which Gendry counted as a win. 

They were cut off when Dany stilled, her eyes focusing over his shoulder. He heard her mutter a short ‘shit’ before she hoisted herself up onto her bar and down onto the floor, dragging him with her. 

“What the fuck?” Dany shushed him noisily, before placing her back to the bar and using his body as a sort of shield, both of them crouched on the floor. “Dany,” he said, in a whisper this time, “what the fuck?” 

Her eyes scanned over his shoulder again, making herself seem smaller. She looked up at him, “Robb Stark just walked in.” 

“What!” 

“Shush, Gendry!” 

“Don’t tell me to shush,” he whisper yelled, “ya just told me my ex-girlfriends brother walked in!”

She eyed him funnily, her head tilted to the side, “Do you know him?” 

Gendry sighed, adjusting so Dany was fully covered from any onlookers. “No,” he said, “no, but if Robb Stark is here, then - then.” He groaned, running a hand through his hair, before gesturing at her, “Does he know you?”

“Of course he knows me!” She shot back, gripping his shirt in her hands and moving him herself, “I went to his birthday party!” 

“Birthday party or birthday ball?” 

“Does it matter?” Dany asked, shaking her head with an incredulous look on her face, her brows knotted.

He nodded, shrugging, “Yeah, kind of.” 

“Shut up!” She angled him again, pulling him by his shirt, “If he sees me then - then - fuck!” 

Gendry gulped down the lump in his throat just beginning to form, “Would he tell ya brother?” Dany nodded in reply, her teeth biting at the skin of her lip, her hands still fisted into his shirt. He gently pried them off.

“Alright,” he mumbled, “alright. There’s a backdoor exit which ya can use to get out an’ - an’-”

She perked up, “And I can use your jacket to cover my hair, it’s raining anyway.” He nodded, thankful that Robb Stark is seemingly a very slow walker as he reached over to the side and plucked his jacket from its perch under the bar. “We should be so fuckin’ thankful we were late,” he said, handing it to her, “or tha’ would ‘ave been in the back.”

“Ya can use my bike ta get home.”

“No,” she protested immediately, “no, Gendry you only taught me once! And that was only because you were too sleep-deprived to ride it yourself!”

“It’s easy,” he said, “ya know the controls an’ ya done it well enough.” He smiled at her, hoping it was reassuring enough, “Besides, yuh were a natural, Dan.” She went to interject, but Gendry shushed her as she did him, taking delight in the narrowness of her eyes. “Ya might wanna try an’ make a run fer it now.” 

Dany nodded, “See you at the complex.” She said, before looking over his shoulder and throwing the jacket over her hair. She stood up with grace, and walked to the backdoor with no interruption. Gendry felt his shoulders relax as she disappeared through it, only to tense up when a northern accent with a familiar lilt sounded.

“Excuse me?” Gendry winced, looking up and meeting blue eyes with a shock of red hair. Robb Stark shifted uncomfortably on his feet, and Gendry could see the familiar tenseness in the planes of his unfamiliar face. 

“Sorry,” he mumbled, “wa’ a bit busy.” Robb nodded as he stood up, picking up the towel from where he left it and throwing it over his shoulder. “What do ya want?” 

“A pint, please.” Gendry nodded, though the northern drawl of his words made his chest ache - grey eyes forming before his, so dark they seemed black. He shook them from his mind, pulling the mans pint, looking steadily into the glass. 

“£3.60.” He said as Robb nodded.

“Ah, yeah,” he rubbed the back of his neck, “can I open a tab instead?” 

Gendry shook his head yes, “What name’s it under?” 

“Robb,” the man replied, and Gendry threw him a look to continue, “Robb Snow.” 

He opened it, and pushed the pint towards the man who sat where Dany had just been. Gendry pursed his lips, weighing the pros and cons of talking to the brother of his ex-girlfriend-slash-love-of-his-life. He decided there would be more benefit to finding out what Robb bloody Stark was doing at the Crossroads than negative.

“So,” he started, “ya got a party comin’ or?” 

“Yeah, actually.” Robb smiled, rolling his eyes in good humor, “My sister and her friends wanted to explore the city so I thought I should go with them,” he grinned this time, white and blinding, “you know, just in case.”

_Sister._

_Sister._

_Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck._

“Good call.” He mumbled, his mind far away; clouded with memories of Arya grinning up at him from her seat at this bar, of her small hand in his as she dragged him to the backroom, of his mouth against her neck and her hands in his hair, his hand travelling lower and her tiny little gasp as he - 

_Fuck._

Gods, he needs a cigarette.

Robb perked up, looking like a dog who had just heard the bell ring, “Oh, there she is now.” He started waving his hands around, “Sansa! Sansa!” Gendry turned, a course of relief spreading through him at the lack of any petite brunettes.

 _I should have known_ , he thought, watching as a gaggle of young women made their way to Robb and by extension, Gendry. _She never would have come here, not if it meant seeing me._

“Robby!” The redhead - Sansa, who goes to the KL College of Fashion, who embroiders Arya patches for her backpack as peace offerings, who apparently is the epitome of high society - called. Aryas stories about her family swam through his mind as Sansa threw her arms around Robb, her friends pointing and laughing and whispering; probably about how mangy the bar is.

His attention was pulled for a second as Lem yelled, “Bull!” Pointing at a very large, very drunk man who seemed to be getting rowdier by the minute. Gendry sighed, turning to the group, with one of the women eyeing him wearily. He grunted, “Be back in a second.” 

“Oi!” He called, coming from behind the bar and striding towards the man. “I think it’s time ya take a walk, mate.” The man swayed on his feet, but he kept direct eye contact with Gendry, trying to steady himself with force of sheer will alone.

“No,” he slurred, the stench on his breath one of cheap beer and vodka, “‘M fine, ‘m fine right ‘ere.” 

“Yeah,” Gendry replied, crossing his arms over his chest, “We’re cuttin’ yer off, mate.” He tilted his head towards the door, “Take a walk, sober up an’ maybe we’ll let ya ‘ave another one.” 

“No!” This time, the man yelled, spit flying as the bar quietened. “Am fine right fuckin ‘ere!”

Gendry didn’t need to look at Lem to know he held the bat in his hand, and so he placed his own hand on the mans shoulder; using his height and strength to his advantage, he leant down, squeezing painfully, the man letting out a small whimper. “It wasn’t a fuckin’ question.” He said, his voice low even to his own ears, “Yer gonna get the fuck out now, or i’ll break yer fuckin’ nose, okay?” 

The mans knees had buckled under his grip, and he nodded his head with a frantic pace, his eyes glued to the scar on Gendrys temple. Gendry let the man go, watching as he scurried out the bar, _all bark no bite._ He resisted the urge to snort, _wouldn’t last a day in the ring._

Quiet hung over the bar, until Lem let out a loud burst of laughter and the chatter picked up once again. Gendry walked back with heavy shoulders even as Lem clapped him on the back in thanks. The one percent currently lingering on Gendrys side of the bar were watching him with wide eyes as he picked up his rag, throwing it over his shoulder.

“What can I get ya?” The girl who was eyeing him before still watched him with a curious look, the scars on her face pulling as she frowned. Sansa spoke first, “We’ll have shots please.” She giggled, the women behind her voicing their agreement.

Gendry pulled out the shot glasses, “Tequila or vodka?”

Sansa giggled again, her bright red hair standing out against the dull background, “Tequila.” 

One of the women - brown haired, brown eyed, kind of mousey - leant forward, “You have such a fun accent.” Gendry looked up from the shots, blinking slowly at her as the women around her laughed and started to speak over one another.

“Yeah! You sound like that guy in that one show! What was his name again?”

“Can you say something else?” 

“Arin Grey, Marge?”

“Oh! Can you say _chicken?”_

“No, Mer, I think it’s Ronas Blest I’m thinking of.”

“Yeah yeah, oh my god! Say _coke!”_

“Oh he does sound like him!” 

Gendry felt frozen in place, his knuckles wrapped around the neck of the tequila bottle turning white. His eyes slid to Robb, who just looked at him with a shrug and a smile - as if his sister and her friends weren’t picking apart Gendrys accent right in front of him.

“Uh,” he started, and the women stilled, “sorry, what?”

Another woman - Marge, Gendry filed away, admittedly quite gorgeous - laughed again, “Sorry, sorry, we just get carried away sometimes.” She said, her eyes sweeping over him, lingering on his face, on the scar - lingering on his arms, on his scarred, tattooed skin. “Your accent is just so unique, we’ve never heard it before.” 

Gendry bit back the retort in his throat, something like - _you wouldn’t have heard it, the gutter rat accent, not while you sat in your silver homes with your silver fucking spoons stuck up your arse._ Marge, though, was infuriatingly charming - in the same way Robb was.

Mouse girl leant forward again, “Can you say something for us?” She had a little grin on her face, “We’ll leave you alone after that, promise!” 

He scanned the womens faces again, the girl with the scars still looking at him with a frown, the rest of them looking at him with a smile. Gendry gulped down his anger, Robb Stark still looking at him with a _what-can-you-do!_ grin. “Uh-” he started, “coke?” 

The women were sent into a strange sort of frenzy, repeating what he had just said except garbled and guttural and - 

_Is that what I sound like?_

He swallowed down the bile rising in his throat, instead, focusing on pouring the shots and placing them in front of the women, - to their cheers - and adding them to Robbs tab. Gendry turned to another customer, pulling a pint for her and tapping his fingers as she entered her pin. Steadfast, he ignored the chatter coming from the group. 

And he was doing well! Pouring drinks, taking payment, giving the women their drinks so he could ignore them more. Right until - 

“How come Arya isn’t here?” The curly haired one - Mer, he remembered Marge saying - asked, and Gendrys heart dropped into his shoes.

He saw Sansa shrug from the corner of his eye, “I don’t know, just said she wasn’t feeling up to it.” She took a sip from her drink, scanning the room.

“I would have thought she would love to,” Gendry heard Robb reply, “this seems more like her thing, you know, exploring Fleabottom and all.”

“I know!” Sansa said, “I told her we were coming here to,” she lowered her voice, but Gendry could still hear her, “you know, see what it’s like and all, but she just wasn’t interested!”

The one with the scar on her face frowned again, her voice quieter than the others, more worried, “That’s not like Arya at all.” 

Gendry looked up as Sansa patted her on the arm, “Don’t worry, Shir,” She cooed - _Shir,_ he filed away - “I’m sure she’s alright, and besides, I’ve heard that a certain Dornishman is interested in her.” Sansa raised her eyebrows, and Gendry felt sick as his heart firmly started to build its permanent home in his shoes.

“Wait,” Marge said, a grin on her lips, “Ned Dayne?” 

Sansa nodded, giggling as she replied, Gendrys nails digging into his palms, “Yes, Willas has been telling me that Neds been asking him for advice! How charming.” 

Shir looked confused, and a little bit concerned, her hand playing with the ends of her hair. “I’ll have to ask Arya about him,” she muttered as the corners of her mouth turned up, “but maybe he’ll make her happy.” 

Marge nodded, her lips curled into a smirk, “Oh, absolutely, you’ve seen them at the galas together! And I've only heard good things about Ned.” 

“Bull!” Lem called, and Gendry snapped out of his eaves-dropping stupor. “Yer shifts over mate, Kyles here.” Kyle gave him a wave from the door to the backroom and Gendry waved back, feeling acid in his throat. Lem clasped his shoulder, “Get ya home to that silver-haired beauty.” 

“Fuck off, Lem.” He saw Shirs head snap to him, watching him carefully, “Ya know we’re just friends.” 

Lem let out a guffaw next to his ear, “I know, I know - I’m just teasin ya!” He winked at him, “We all know yer not over that brunette.” He held his hands up as Gendry glared at him, throwing the rag down, “Feckin’ hell Bull! Calm down will ya!” 

He passed Kyle as he walked, Lem shouting over the noise, “Ya think yer neighbour would give me a go?”

Gendry held his middle finger up, “Fuck off Lemoncock!” 

“Fuckin’ hell - it was one time!”

* * *

_**Arry** _

**Me:** i saw your sister tonight. she talked about you, you seem happy 

_Not Sent. Undo_

**Me:** i heard you’ve moved on, I’m happy for you 

_Not Sent. Undo_

**Me:** i miss you 

_Not Sent. Undo_

**Me:** i lied that day. I never stopped loving you. I dont think i can.

_Not Sent. Undo_

**Me:** i lied just before, im not happy. im angry, but not at you. i cant be angry with you, how could i? you’ve moved on and im so fucking glad, arry, because all i want for you is to be with someone who deserves you, someone who your mother likes and someone who has the right name and the right money and the right manners and the right job and the right fucking accent. but im so fucking angry, because i cant stop loving you no matter how hard i fucking want to. you live in me arry, and i cant get you to leave i dont want you to leave but im so fucking angry. i cant be, though, because i did this. i did this, its my fault and i can see you crying in front of me and i hate myself and i still love you. I love you. I just want you to be happy. I cant make you happy but fuck, arya, its all i want to do

_Not Sent._

Gendry threw his phone down on the ratty couch cushion, and held his head in his hands, shoulders shuddering. He felt a burning in his eyes, in his throat, felt wetness stain his hands and Gendry wiped furiously at the tears that were falling.

“It’s your fault,” he muttered, “ya don’t get ta cry because it’s yer fuckin’ fault.”

Yet no matter how he chastised himself, the tears kept rolling down his cheeks and he felt like a fucking fraud, a pathetic waste of space. There was a tightening in his stomach, his head heavy on his shoulders and all he wanted was his mother; wanted her to stroke his hair like he was six again and tell him it was all going to be fine, lulling him to sleep with a song.

“Pathetic,” he mumbled, “bloody fucking pathetic.” He tilted his head back, looking at the cracked ceiling with a water stain in the corner. There was washing held on a line through his kitchen - the dryer had broke and he was going to fix it, then take the line down when he got home yet here he was, sitting on his couch like a bloody kid.

His chest felt fit to fucking burst, and Gendry couldn’t remember the last time he cried, he thought it might have been his mums funeral. “Stop it,” he rubbed at his eyes, “fuckin’ _stop it_.”

His voice cracked, and Gendry could see himself as a little boy again - alone, angry, and under it all, just so _sad_. He dropped his head into his hands again, his fingers shaking against his skin, and he could see the burns covering his arms and could feel the scar travelling down his skin and his lungs tightened, something building in his throat - 

and he let himself cry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> haha.  
> this is quite angsty, soz  
> also, fun fact, gendrys accent scene was inspired by me !! it was when i went on a school trip n another school was there who spoke quite posh. they kept asking us to speak for them n would laugh n repeat what we said. it wasn’t malicious (like this wasn’t) but it didn’t feel great  
> anyways, sorry if you were expecting arya, but their reunion is going to be different n a lot more intimate.  
> and remember !! ned dayne gossip is _gossip,_ word of mouth everyone, word of mouth  
> up next: some decorating, some talking and some soul searching - in a way  
> as always, thank you all so so much for reading n please comment n lmk what u think !!  
> (what a longass a/n)


	5. void

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [ tumblr ](https://summersnowz.tumblr.com/)

**Void**

_Mama told me not to try_

_And I should have taken her advice_

_And now I'm all twisted_

_When it's all gone, I miss it_

The smell of fresh paint hung heavy in the air, the walls of Danys office painted a second coat of white and grey. Dany walked back from the desk, appraising it with narrowed eyes and a hand on her hip. She tilted her head, and pursed her lips.

“What?” Gendry asked, standing up, “Not good enough for her majesty?” 

“Be quiet.” She huffed, her head still tilted to the side. “I’m just thinking,” she walked towards the right wall, taking one of her hands from the pockets of her overalls and gesturing outwards, “wouldn’t it be nice to have panelling on this wall?” 

Gendry hummed, “Maybe on the bottom half.” He joined her, crossing his arms over his chest. The wall was painted a light grey and, for Gendry, it did seem quite one-dimensional. “Then yuh could put a paintin’ on the top half, add some colour to the room.” Dany nodded in response, her thumb trapped between her teeth. 

“Where would I find a painting?” She asked, her brows furrowed, “I’ll need some for the rest of the office, especially if I want this place to be more interesting than just a attorneys office.” Her hand waved about as she spoke, “But I don’t really want people catching wind of a silver-haired woman commissioning art.” 

Gendry shrugged, turning his head to look at her, “I can paint yuh somethin’ if ya want.” 

Dany frowned, meeting his eye, “You paint?” 

“Yeah,” he walked to his phone lying in the corner of the room, “I ‘avent done it in ages, but I was alright at it.” He swiped the phone open, the skin on his thumb catching the cracks of the glass. Dany held her hand out and he passed it to her, watching as she opened his photos. He turned back to the wall, not wanting to see the countless photos that he couldn’t bring himself to delete. 

Dany was quiet as she scrolled, though Gendry knew she didn’t have to scroll far. He hadn’t painted, or sketched, in over a year but there weren’t any recent photos - the odd candid of Dany, some photos Lommy and Pie had asked him to take, nothing else beyond that. His camera roll was full, though, of pictures from years ago.

“Gendry,” she finally said, her violet eyes boring into him, a small smile on her face, “you’re such a liar.” He startled back, and her smile grew, “You said you’re _alright,_ but these -” she clicked on one of the photos, “these are amazing!” 

The photo was a painting he had done a few years back, with Arya as his reference. He had tried to capture his feelings for her in the painting, filling it with blues and whites and gold. Her head was tipped back, her chin tilted to the air, gemstones for eyes and a smirk on her face. It took him months to complete, and now it lay in his room with a sheet over it - he wanted to burn it, but his hands wouldn’t let him. 

Dany clicked off it, swiping to another picture - a sculpture, this time. “You sculpt as well?” She asked, her head tilted to him.

He shook his head, “No - no, tha’ was my first time.” Gendry cleared his throat, his eyes glued to the sculpted hands, veins and lines captured in clay, “Arya made us go to a class together, about a month - uh, before, y’know.” 

She hummed and nodded, swiping onto another picture, a sketch in charcoal. “Is this -” Dany laughed, “is this fucking Robert Baratheon.” The sketch was crude, a caricature of President Baratheon - complete with the leering gaze and drool dripping from his mouth. 

Gendry grinned, “Swipe onto the next one.” 

Dany threw her head back with a laugh, the graffiti art he had done of the Lannisters shining from his phone screen. Joffrey he had made with a pig nose and pig ears, his face in a petulant stare. Cersei and Jaime he had painted in a crude embrace, and Dany sported tears in her eyes when she saw Tywin Lannister painted in his own shit.

Gendry just shrugged with a smirk, “Lannisters apparently shit gold.” 

They swiped through the rest of his creations; still-lifes of the complex, a portrait of the only photo he had of his mother, sketches in charcoal and ball-point pen. Dany swiped, her thumb lingering over the new photo - Arya, swimming in his shirt, the sun hitting her from the back and swathing her in a divine light. She was sitting on his windowsill, her leg pulled up underneath her chin, her brown hair spilling over her shoulders.

Dany smiled at him, soft and small with her eyes equally as gentle, “You really loved her, didn’t you?” She swiped off, “Your entire camera roll is just her.” 

Gendry huffed a sigh, “Yeah, yeah -” he ran a hand through his hair, “still do, to be honest.” He turned from the wall, back to the assembled desk and he sat with his back to it, letting his legs rest in front of him. Dany sat next to him, sitting cross-legged. “Kinda pathetic, if ya think about it.” 

“A little,” she replied, sending him a grin. Dany paused, before shrugging, “I’ve never been in love, though, so I guess I can’t really speak.” She drummed her fingers on her thighs, resting her head back on the desk

He pulled his cigarettes out from his pocket with his lighter too. “Do you mind?” He waved them about, and Dany just nodded in reply. They were silent, letting the sounds of the busy street below them and the burning of the cigarette fill the air. From the corner of his eye he could see Dany purse her lips, turning to look at him, fiddling with his phone.

“I’m thinking of cutting my hair.” 

The smoke in his lungs exited into the air, billowing around them as he turned to her, “Where to?” He asked, and she raised her hand to her neck, suggesting a bob length that was just underneath her chin. Gendry nodded, “You’d suit that,” he watched as she tugged the ends of her braids, “would ya colour it?” 

He went to stub the cigarette out on the floor, before Dany exclaimed at him, “Don’t you fucking dare Gendry Waters!” 

“Where else am I meant to put it out?”

“Anywhere else but my new floors!” She huffed, shaking her head at him, “Throw it out the window for all I care but,” she pointed a finger at him threateningly, “do not ruin my precious floor.” 

“Fuckin’ hells, alright.” Gendry stood, making his way to the window at the back wall and flicking it out. He turned to her, raising his brows, “Happy?” 

Dany nodded appreciatively, running her hands over the hardwood floor, “Very.” 

Gendry flopped back to the floor, letting his legs stretch out and his back hit the desk. “So,” he turned, “yeh didn’t answer me question.” 

Her brows furrowed as her hand went to the end of her braid, playing with it almost subconsciously. “No, I don’t think I will,” her head hit the back of the desk, “it’s stupid, the colour gives me away almost instantly but,” her teeth tore at her lip, “I don’t know it - it sounds stupid.” 

Gendry snorted, “Yer talkin’ ta me, Dan, nothin’ yuh say is any stupider than what i’ve done before.” He placed his hand on her knee, squeezing lightly, “Besides, yer scary smart, so I don’t think it’ll be like, Hot Pie stupid.” 

“You’re so nasty,” she huffed a laugh, mingiling with her words, “Hot Pies not that stupid.” 

“Fine,” he said, “Lommy stupid, then.” 

She hummed in agreement at that, and Gendry took it as a silent victory. 

“I never knew my mother,” Dany admitted, “she died sometime after I was born -” she paused, “a heart attack, apparently, the stress of childbirth, my fathers trial and families death just all caught up with her.” Her nails drummed on the floor, echoing through the air, “I don’t really know anything about her.” 

“She was kind, people told me,” her eyes were far-away, “and she always did her duty.” Danys nose scrunched up, the face she made when it was just him and her and he said something stupid - he knew, though, that she would never be caught doing it beyond them. “Whatever the fuck that means.” 

She huffed, “Viserys was very cruel when it came to our mother.” Her other hand picked at the frayed denim on her overalls, “He would blame her death on me, and he held it against me constantly.” Her violet eyes rolled, and she muttered, “Such a prick.” 

“Dany, dear Dany,” he smiled, “I think I’ve ‘ad a bad influence on ya.” 

“Shut up.” He grinned at her as she continued, “Anyway, I never knew my mother and Vis was a -”

“Cunt.”

“I was going to say wanker,” a small smile graced her face, “but cunt works too.” She pulled on one of her braids, tugging the ends, “The one thing, though, that everyone told me was that I look exactly like her.” 

The smile disappeared, a frown taking its place, “I guess I’m scared that if I change my hair colour, I won’t feel close to her.” Dany turned to him, shrugging slightly, “Stupid, I told you.” 

“No,” Gendry shook his head, “tha’s not stupid at all.” His hand was still resting on her knee, and he squeezed it again, giving her a smile, “It makes a lot o’ sense, if ya ask me.” Leaning back, he trained his eyes forward, “I don’t look like me mum at all, which fuckin’ sucks.” 

Dany shifted, and he saw curiosity gleam in her eyes. “I never knew my dad,” he clarified, “but I don’t look like my mum in any way, so I guess I got stuck with his shitty deadbeat genes.” 

“Do you know who -?” She trailed off, the end of her question hanging in the air. 

“No.” He said, “Never met ‘im, don’t want to either.” Gendry took his hand from her knee, cracking his knuckles and laughing when she batted his hands in protest. “I don’t remember much about me mum either,” he pulled his hands away from her swatting, “she died when I was eight.” 

Her head tilted, and he replied before she could ask. “Cancer,” Gendry said, “we couldn’t afford treatment so it got her pretty quick,” he paused, “pretty brutal too, from what I can remember.” 

Gendrys memories of his mother were faded, watercolour paintings in his mind that were torn at the edges. Painted in soft yellows and blues, wrapped up in a blanket of second-hand coats and hats that were too big for his head, slipping into his eyes. The soft crooning of her voice would lull him to sleep, and it would linger in his ears even now - he could hear it in the music of the busker in town, and the late-night sounds outside his window.

His most vivid memory was waking up, and his mum stone cold next to him. Blacks and greys and reds swirled in his vision, the pale skin and blue lips of his beautiful, kind, amazing mum burned into his mind.

He tried not to dwell on it, tried to remember the day she took him to work at the diner instead, his little legs - long for his age, but so small now - swinging back and forth on the stool. He remembered colouring in whilst she worked, quiet and well-behaved the other women would coo, and being swept up in her arms when she finished. She praised his little drawing, and his head rested against her shoulder as they walked home, his eyes drooping. 

Gods, he missed his mum. 

The feeling of home, of safety, of waiting outside of school and seeing his mums blonde hair shining in the light. The feeling of love and elation that she was picking him up that day, of falling into her arms and hearing her laugh as her arms surrounded him. 

Gendry couldn’t remember what it sounded like.

The feeling of coming home and seeing his scribbles on the fridge, his little hands safe in her soft ones. He felt an ache in his chest, the potent feeling of just wanting his mum again, wanting her to smile at him and tell her she loved him. He wanted the burn scars on his arms to fade, wanted to feel as carefree and loved as a little boy again.

Dany was staring into nothing, her eyes far away and he wagered she was thinking as he was - thinking of a happier life, and mums who held them and tucked them into bed. Gendry knocked his elbow into her lightly, giving her a tight smile, “Dead mums club, innit.” 

She was silent for a beat, and Gendry felt a worry that he had overstepped, said the complete wrong thing. He went to apologise, the words and the wince on his face just at the edge of his mind before she let out a bark of laughter, her shoulders shaking. 

“Dead mums club.” Dany laughed, tears forming in her eyes and he felt compelled to join in, their laughter sounding throughout the empty office with their faces red and lungs heaving.

* * *

**Dany 10F:** I’m interviewing today, so i might be a bit late coming back

What time do you finish at Motts?

 **Me:** 4, working the early

who u interviewing?

 **Dany 10F:** A woman named Missandei is the last one, she seems very proficient and looks very kind

She’s massively overqualified, which is a bit suspicious

 **Me:** go in with an open mind, u never know 

**Dany 10F:** Oh gods, how bad have i been that ur telling me that??

 **Me:** not answering that 

**Dany 10F:** :( 

Order a pizza when you get home, I’m going to be starving 

**Me:** right on, ur majesty

 **Dany 10F:** Well then, get on with it, peasant 

**Me:** see you at mine yeah? 

**Dany 10F:** yeah, maybe around 6

 **Me:** how fucking long do interviews last

 **Dany 10F:** I’m thorough!! 

See you soon x

* * *

A knock sounded through his flat, and Gendry called back, “It’s open!” before Dany came through, holding stacks of folders and kicking her shoes off. She dropped the folders onto the small coffee table, and flopped onto the couch with a groan. Gendry just watched on with a smile. 

“Want a drink?” He asked, Dany nodding with enthusiasm. 

“A beer, please,” she rubbed at her eyes, “oh! Also can you -”

“Yeah, yeah,” he interrupted, making his way to the small kitchen, “Want me to order a tub of ice cream with it?” A drawn out _please_ was his answer, and he placed the order for pizza and ice cream as he grabbed Danys beer from the fridge. He handed it to her, and she gulped it down eagerly. 

He sat onto the couch, Dany placing her feet on his lap and pouting when he shoved them off and on the floor. His phone that sat on the arm of the couch buzzed again, and Gendry repressed a groan before declining the call and turning it over.

Dany watched him with curiosity, her beer squished between her legs and her hands working out the pins holding back her short hair. “Who was that?” She asked, a pin in her mouth. Gendry shrugged nonchalantly, “Dunno,” he replied, “some unknown number keeps calling me.” 

“A scam?” She said, running her fingers through her pinless hair.

Gendry nodded, “Probably, but I ‘avent picked it up so I don’t know.” He frowned, taking a swill of his beer, “Bit overeager fer a scam caller, though.” Dany nodded, leaning back into the couch and taking another gulp of her beer. 

“What’s wrong with you then?” He pushed her feet away as they crept to his lap, snickering at the pout on her face. She groaned, pushing her hair away from her face, “Nothing, just that I need a proper case!” 

He frowned, raising his bottle to his lips, “You’ve ‘ad proper cases, though, and,” he pointed out, “you’ve only been goin’ properly fer a month.” 

She nodded, though there was a frown on her face, “I know, I know,” Dany sighed, “and I’m pretty sure Missandei was sent by the gods with the way she can get cases for us.” 

“But?” Gendry probed, again pushing her feet away, “Yer not putting yer feet anywhere near me, Dan.” 

Dany slumped against the arm of the couch, reluctantly pulling her legs underneath her. “But,” she said, “it’s all petty stuff, most of it doesn’t need to go to trial.” She waved her bottle around, “It just feels pointless!”

Gendrys brows rose, “It’s not though.” He gave her a pointed stare, “An’ you told me that Dan, ya need these petty cases so ya can build a profile or a rapport,” he frowned, “whatever it wa’ tha’ ya said.” 

He saw her frown, “Listen, Dan,” he rested his back against the arm of the couch, “one day, yer gonna get a good case, one that ya can sink yer teeth into and really help someone by takin’.” Her frown eased, and the lines of her face smoothed. “But,” he continued, “yer need to do these ones first, so people know ta trust ya.” 

She nodded, relaxing fully into his ratty couch, music from their neighbours blasting through the walls. “Missandei and I are going to get drinks tomorrow,” she said, “you free?” 

“Yeah, actually,” he replied, taking a swig, “an’ yer lucky that I like Missandei enough to tolerate drinkin’ with ya.” 

“Oh fuck off.” Dany huffed, and just as she went to speak again the buzzing sound that had been following him all day perked up again. “Fer fucks sake,” he groaned, his phone buzzing against his back, “can they give me a fuckin’ break.” 

Dany just laughed at him, snorting into her beer. “Gimme it,” she held her hands out, “I might know the number.” He handed his phone to her, watching as she took in the digits on the screen. The buzzing stopped, and Dany stayed frowning. 

“It’s familiar, actually,” she admitted, throwing his phone at him, “but I can’t place it.” 

Gendry shrugged, though the admission left him with an uneasy feeling in his mind. Dany didn’t let it linger for long, reaching over and putting on _The Chase,_ roping him in to trying to guess the right answers with her. Though, it clung to him and Gendry found himself wondering if it could be more than he anticipated. 

His mind showed him pictures of a brown haired girl, a new phone clutched in her hand as she called him mercilessly. Only to break him all over again, telling him of Ned Dayne - Lord Ned Dayne, heir to Starfell, national fencing champion for Dorne who had blonde hair and violet eyes and an infuriating charm and Gendry really needed to stop watching videos of the man - and how happy he made her.

His girl wasn’t cruel enough to do that, but Gendry knew he deserved it. 

Instead, he focused on the painting in his bedroom, resting on his easel for the first time in a year. A dragon, he had decided on, white and violet with silver hues. His phone buzzed again, ringing incessantly and with no remorse for _The Chase_ that he was watching and the painting in his mind.

Gendry ignored it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hmmm hm hmm  
> this is a more gendry focused chapter ig - gendry and dany in a way. but arya still worms her way in and i PROMISE we will be seeing her shortly !!  
> anyways, gendry and his mum got me emotional, and some important information was relayed here that will be important for future plot points n feelings. also dany not knowing anythin abt rhaella was a direct attack to grrm - give me more rhaella n stop killing off pre series mothers n giving them no personality/autonomy !!!!  
> coming up: drinking, bus stops and emotions  
> as always, thank you all so so much for reading n please comment n lmk what u think !!


	6. cherry

**Cherry**

_Don't you call him baby_

_We're not talking lately_

_Don't you call him what you used to call me_

The walk to the bus stop was long, courtesy of Dany wanting to venture into the nicer parts of King's Landing, a bit away from the stop that would take him back home. The air was cool, though, with a slight breeze that had him pulling his jacket tighter around himself and sticking his hands further into his pockets. 

Gendry relished in the silence of the night, the headache from the bar fading slightly and leaving behind a dull throb instead. Dany seemed to love it, as did Missandei, the both of them clamoring over each other for another shot. Grey Worm seemed less inclined, his face pulled into a permanent frown that would only smooth out when Missandei turned to him, her hand on his chest. 

He could lie and say it didn’t make him ache, but it did. He found himself wishing for Arya, her presence able to put him at ease no matter the size of the crowd, her small hand playing with his hair. Sometimes, though, on nights like these with the moon hanging in the sky and his boots hitting the concrete, the faint traces of alcohol in his system, he finds himself wondering if he idealises Arya - if the Arya in his mind is the Arya in his memories. 

There were times like this, when they would walk home together. Her hand gripping his, stopping him when she saw a flower she wanted to pick, he would tuck it behind her ear as she reached up on her tiptoes to kiss him soft. His hands formed fists in his pockets, _pathetic,_ he thought, shaking the memories from his mind, _pathetic, you did this._ His breath became mist in the air, shaky against the quiet sounds of the night. 

The bus stop came into view, a figure silhouetted against the glass. It reminded him of the painting _Shadow Creatures_ in the KL Art Museum, large with brave brushstrokes and a contrast of the shadowy like figures against the inhumane ice others. As a child, he would sit in front of that painting for hours, trying to replicate the long spindly arms of the others and the free flowing strokes of the creatures. Gendrys hands burrowed deeper into his pockets as he stepped into the stop, the fluorescent light bringing form to the silhouette.

If he weren’t already sober from the cold, then the sight of Arya sitting on the tiny, yellow, sliver of bench ripped out the little bit of alcohol he had left in his system. 

Her head whipped up from her phone as he stopped, her eyes - so grey they were almost black, yet they had a twinkle, a shining silver - widening and her mouth dropping open and forming an ‘o.’ There was silence, her phone she slipped into her pocket and he couldn’t take his eyes off her, couldn’t force himself away. 

She was just as she remembered him - but she wasn’t, also. Her hair was shorter, hitting her collarbone and she wore a silver necklace around her neck, resting in her clavicle. But her hands were the same, chipped nail polish and small fingers, and the freckles that smattered across her nose and the one under her eye was the same. The nose ring that he held her hand for gleamed against the lights. 

So familiar, yet frighteningly different. 

He hovered where he stood, and he wondered if he should sit or stand. Rest his back against the glass? Take his phone out and pretend he was on it? Maybe he should text Dany, or Hot Pie. Does he sit? Does he pretend he can’t see her? Ignore her? Gendry didn’t know if he could do that even if he tried.

Arya made the decision for him - and the notion was so _so_ familiar - scooting to the side and dipping her head when they made eye contact. Gendry thought he might throw up, her gaze so soft yet scared, awkward in ways he had never known her to be. Arya would always do what it took, even if her insecurity ate at her. It killed him that she looked so unsure. 

He sat, and the air felt heavy with her presence. It was suffocating, a boot on his throat or a hand around his neck, cutting off his airways and leaving him gasping for breath. She was all-consuming and deadly, in the best ways possible. 

She picked at her nails, and he bounced his leg. The sound echoed through the air, the faint noise of car alarms accompanying it. Gendry checked the time, twenty minutes until his bus came. Twenty minutes of sitting so close to Arya, yet staying so far away.

“Um -” her voice cut through, “what are you - uh - doing here?” There was a slight laugh in her words, a quirk of her lips though there was a ting of something else, something Gendry couldn’t quite place. He thought, though, that there was nothing better than the sound of Aryas voice. 

The small smile that came to his face came with ease, like breathing or walking. He gestured around, “Waitin’ fer the bus.” 

Arya nodded her head with a huff of laughter - the laugh vibrated through him, nearly setting him alight from within - before she dropped her head, “Yeah - yeah, sorry that was a stupid question.” 

She picked at her nails, and he bounced his leg. 

“What,” he cleared his throat as her eyes snapped to his, “what are you doin’ here then?” 

The hands estate was the opposite way to where the buses go, Aegons Hill as opposed to the right of Rhaenys Hill. She gave him a small smile, tentative and soft and he felt his heart breaking and beating all in one. 

“I’m getting picked up.” She said, as she swept a lock of her hair to the side. There was a tattoo behind her ear, which he knew was new - a small outline of a bouquet of flowers, tied with ribbon and a bow. It looked achingly familiar, and he ran a hand over his own tattoos, feeling the raised scars under his fingertips. 

She picked at her nails, and he bounced his leg. Gendrys fingers twitched for a cigarette, just in his pocket. The thought of Arya seeing him like that, seeing him with the habit he had tried so hard to kill between his lips, it was enough for him to trample down the urge. He moved his hand from his arm, drumming his fingers on his knee. Arya watched him, he could see from the corner of his eye, and he repressed the need to stick his hand back in his pocket. 

The atmosphere felt heavy with everything unsaid, every _‘I’m sorry for what I did to you, I’m sorry I wasn’t enough.’_ Every, _‘I wanted to marry you, I wanted to build a life together.’_ Every, _‘You were it for me, I’m sorry I didn’t try harder.’_ Every, _‘I’m sorry, I’m so so sorry.’_

He saw Arya bite at her lip, saw her suck a shaky breath in. 

Every, _‘I love you, and I’m sorry it wasn’t enough.’_

So many things unsaid, bottled up in his chest, resting and trapped behind his ribcage. She picked at her nails - so many regrets, and lies that he held close in his arms. He bounced his leg - Gendry felt sick, felt the accumulation of the overheard calls, the frowns and furrowed brows, felt it all travel through his body. 

_‘Mum, I swear I’m fine - no - no you don’t need to get me a partner for the ball. It’s fine, mum, I - yeah - yeah I know - I know. I’ll find someone soon mum, I promise. Yeah - yeah, I know mum, I know. Sansa said what? Well, tell her to stick her nose out my business. Sorry - sorry._

_It’s not like anyone interested, anyway. Elmar Frey? Mum, are you kidding? Frey is spineless cun- sorry! Sorry, mum, sorry. But I wouldn’t take him even if someone forced me to - yes, I know he would technically be taking me, my point still stands! Yeah I know he would be a good match mum, I got that. What does that mean?_

_But what if - what if I found someone and they weren’t from like our - our circles. No - no, mum not someone from the Stormlands that’s not what I meant. I - I, okay, I get it. What if that happen - okay, yeah, okay. It’s nothing, it was just a ‘what-if’ situation, I guess. I’m sorry, I won’t bring it up again._

_Fine, I’ll - I’ll try harder, okay? I’ll try harder, I’m sorry. I know - I know. I love you too mum, I’ll see you later.’_

Five minutes, five minutes. He felt lost in his own head, lost in the woman sitting next to him, wringing her hands and cracking her knuckles. There was so much he wanted to say, so much he wanted to do yet the words lodged themself in his throat. 

“Gendry,” she whispered, and his hands shook with the sound of his name on her tongue, “I - I -”

“Arya,” he cut her off as she dropped her head again, digging her nails into her knee. Gently, and not on his own accord, he reached his hand over and took her hand in his, dislodging her painful grip. His hand dwarfed hers, so small in his grip and she looked at him with something in her face - something soft yet hurt, unbearably so. 

“I know.” He whispered back, squeezing her hand. Gendry paused, a moment of hesitance that hung heavy between them, “Arya I -”

The bus pulled up, and Gendry dropped her hand. He stood quickly, his hand feeling fried and his mind like goo falling out his ears. The doors opened, two people falling out and scurrying away. Gendry took a step on, and a soft, highborn, northern voice floated through the air. 

“Gendry,” he turned, and she was standing now, the light illuminating her as if she were the maiden herself, “what were you going to say?”

“I -” the words wouldn’t come out, and the image of Arya with an lord heir on her arm just made so much more sense, “It’s nothing, Arya,” he smiled, strained and forced, “It’s nothing.” 

He stepped further in, the doors shutting behind him as he flashed his ticket. The city flew by as the bus drove, and all Gendry could think was that he had left something irrevocably important behind.

* * *

 **Dany 10F:** Did you get home alright? We ended up leaving at like three so it was probably a good thing you left when you did ngl

 **Dany 10F:** Wanna come over for lunch? 

**Dany 10F:** You alright??

Gendry? 

**Dany 10F:** I’ll call you later 

_Read: 5:06pm_

**Hot Pie:** Mate last night was boss, remind me to say thanks to dany for inviting us 

Even that Grey bloke was alright, when he wasn’t scowling at everyone lmao 

**Hot Pie:** When do u get home from Motts???

Geeendddrrryyy don’t ignore me 

**Hot Pie:** You okay bull?? Why u ignoring everyone?

Mate? 

_Read: 5:34pm_

**Dany 10F**

**ACCEPT OR [DECLINE]**

**_5:41PM_ **

**Dany 10F**

**ACCEPT OR [DECLINE]**

**_5:43PM_ **

**Hot Pie**

**ACCEPT OR [DECLINE]**

**_5:48PM_ **

**Dany 10F:** Gendry? Is everything okay? 

I’m getting a bit worried, did something happen last night? You’re even ignoring Hot Pie

 **Me:** im fine, dan, sorry for worrying you 

**Dany 10F:** I don’t believe you 

Usually when you go MIA you give us a warning first

Are you sure you're okay? 

**Me:** yeah, im okay dan. Its not big deal 

**Dany 10F:** So something did happen

I’m coming over 

**Me:** dany im fine u don’t have to come over, im sure ur busy anyway 

**Dany 10F:** Nope! I’m omw home anyway so I’ll pick us up pizza

We don’t have to talk about it, but i want to make sure you’re okay

Sound good? 

**Me:** yeah actually 

i'll see you soon 

**Dany 10F:** See you soon x

* * *

The door to his bedroom was flung open abruptly, but Gendry didn’t move, not even when Dany tossed open his curtains and his blinds. Distantly, he was thankful that he had a sheet over the painting for her office; he had wanted the final product to be a surprise, and for her to not have a clue on what he was doing. 

“Gendry,” she poked at his back, “Gendry it’s three in the afternoon, time to get up!” 

He grumbled something illegible, burying his face further into the pillow as Dany sighed noisily above him. Gendry didn’t have to see her to know she had her hands on her hips, and a disapproving gleam in her eyes. _Maybe if I ignore her,_ he thought, _she’ll go away._

She didn’t go away.

“Move over then,” he lifted his head slightly, a brow raised as she shoved him, “move over, my gods.” Dany settled herself under the covers, pulling them up to her chin and making herself comfortable. He could see the tear at the bottom, _need to get new sheets,_ Dany flopped back onto the pillow, _these are basically dust._

Dany turned to him, watching him as he burrowed into the pillow. “Right then,” she said, “what’s your fucking problem?” Gendry looked at her from the corner of his eye, before closing them again and ignoring her completely.

He heard her mutter, “Gods, you’re such a fucking asshole.” He then heard her shift, pulling the sheets closer, “Whatever happened must have fucked you up,” she grumbled, “it’s like you’re going through the five stages of bloody grief.” 

That piqued his interest, and he opened his eyes, silently urging her to go on. “Well,” she started, holding one finger up, “first there was denial, when you were telling me you were fine when you clearly weren’t.”

“Then,” she held up a second, “there was anger, when you beat the hells out of that punching back.” Third finger, “Bargaining, when you recognised you weren’t okay but thought it would just go away on its own.”

Fourth finger, “And now this, depression. When you shut yourself in your room and stay under your covers like you’re allergic to sunlight.” Dany raised her eyebrows, a contemplative look on her face, “It’s impressive and all, since it’s only been a week.” She sent him a look, “Bit pathetic, though.” 

He glared at her, but it had no effect. “So,” Dany said, “what’s happened?” 

“It’s -” 

“And don’t say it’s nothing,” she glared at him, and he wilted under her gaze, “because it clearly is, Gendry, since you’ve become so pale you look like an anemic Valyrian.” 

Gendrys voice came out muffled, his face mushed into the pillow, “Anyone ever tell ya yer a bit of a bitch?” 

Dany sniffed, “Men call women bitches when they don’t agree with them,” she turned to him, a smile on her face, “or when they call them out.” 

Gendry shrugged, a frown on his lips, “Cunt, then.” 

She laughed, “That’ll work.” Dany shifted so she was lying on her side, face-to-face with him, “Now, what happened, Gendry?” He sighed through his nose, looking to the ceiling and listening to the sounds of construction outside his window. It _was_ pathetic, he knew that, because logically there was nothing to be upset over, nothing to warrant such a reaction.

But things have a way of burrowing deep under his skin and making a home. His scars ached, and he brought his hand up to his face, lightly tracing the mar on his skin. 

“I saw Arya,” he whispered, his voice hoarse, “and we - we talked, I think?” Gendry exhaled, his lungs tight in his body. “It’s really nothin’ but, it brought back a lot, I guess.” He shrugged, facing Dany, “Yeh were right when ya said it were pathetic.” 

“Gendry,” Dany sighed, “she really has you in a hold, doesn’t she?” 

“Not like I’m doin’ much ta escape it.” They were silent, the sounds of drills and power tools filling the space. Dany picked at a thread on his bed, her brows furrowed before she looked up at him again, “Tell me the truth this time, yeah?” He nodded in reply, “Why did you really break up with Arya? You only told me it was because of life, not an actual reason.” 

His head felt too heavy for his shoulders, and his arms ached violently but he steeled himself, looking at the ceiling and following the cracks. “I couldn’t be what she needed,” a lump built in his throat, “no matter how much I love ‘er, no matter how much I wanted to be,” he rubbed his eyes, “it jus’ wasn’t enough.” 

“We were from two different worlds, an’ - an’ I knew that I’d never be apart of that.” 

Danys soft voice cut through, “Did she tell you that?” 

He shook his head, his eyes still firmly on the cracks in the ceiling, “Well, no, not really but she didn’t need to.” 

“That’s bullshit, then.” 

“What?” Gendrys head whipped to her, “The fuck, Dany?” 

She raised a brow, “Am I wrong? You broke up with her because you were scared, Gendry, and not that she would magically realise that she was too good for you,” she threw him a pointed stare, “but you were scared that you wouldn’t fit in, that highborns would make fun of you, which is cowardice.” 

Dany shrugged, “You’re a coward, Gendry, you have your own brand of cowardice.” 

He snorted, anger flashing through his words, “You wouldn’t get it, Dany.” 

“Wouldn’t I?” She asked, “Believe it or not, Gendry, I am actually a highborn which _sometimes_ you seem to forget.” Her voice was a cold steel, her words biting, and Gendry found himself being matched, “You have this warped idea of what high society is and yeah, it’s pretty fucking shit and some of the people are massive dicks who don’t deserve shit or the power they have.” 

“But most of them,” Dany continued, “are normal people who just inherited what they got.” She softened, “The world isn’t out to get you, Gendry, and highborns aren’t who to blame if your life has been shit.” Dany gave him a smile, gentle and tender, which only succeeded in making him feel more guilty. “You’ve been through a lot, but this thing with Arya, you did to yourself.” 

She fell silent, and Gendrys eyes were still trained on the ceiling above him. Her words rang in his ears, and he wanted to curl up into a ball and disappear into the mattress. It was hard to get angry at Dany, especially when she said it so light - as if she were giving him something, or forgiving him herself. 

“Fuck.” 

Dany laughed, her shoulders shaking as he groaned, “Maybe you need therapy or something.” She suggested, holding her hands up when he glared at her, “We could all bloody use it, to be honest.” 

He sighed, turning to look at her and giving her a tight smile, his body feeling like it underwent surgery, his head not screwed on tight enough - wobbly and teetering on falling. The anger that simmered under his skin seemed to fade, and he just felt tired, felt numb to the world. 

“Want to order a chippy?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> now i want a chippy  
> sorry for the delay ! it was my sisters birthday at the weekend so ive been kinda busy :)  
> also !!! i got a job, i start this weekend but fortunately im going back to school so i wont be too swamped. i'll still be uploading, dont worry !  
> (quick q, would u guys like to see gendry in therapy ? it wouldnt matter to me, and the events of this fic would stay the same it would just change the pacing and force realisations quicker. i wanna hear ur guys' stance !!)  
> up next: painting, fixing cars and unexpected visitors !  
> as always, thank you so much for reading n please comment n lmk what u think !! <3


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